Automatic paper feeding mechanism for printing presses



C. L. LOW

Aug. 25, 1931.

AUTOMATIC PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 10,1929 7 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR ATTORNEY C. L. LOW

Aug. 25, 1931.

AUTOMATIC PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 10,1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Chas L.L0w wgwwc;

ATTORNEY C. L. LOW

Aug. 25, 1931.

AUTOMATIC PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 10.1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 671 as 11.110 w BY @h i JJJLJZ. I

- ATTORNEY Aug. 25, 1931. c. L. LOW ,8 0, 69

AUTOMATIC PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 10, 129 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Chas.L .Low

Aug. 25, 1931. c 1.. LOW 1,826,459

AUTOMATIC PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 10.1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ChaxlbL azv Q .QJJAL ATTO R N EY 25,193 1. c. L. LOW 7 1,820,469

AUTOMATIC *FER FEEDINC MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed s8) 10. 19297 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN'TOR Chas.L-Lo/Lv ATTORN EY it es means therefor,

Patented Aug. 25, 1931" canine now, or FRESNO; CALIFORNIA; 'essrcm'on TO'msmmir rmanuracrmme COMPANY, or FRESNO,

ALIFORNIA, Aconronarronf auroivrnzrrc rnrnnrnnnme MECHANISM FOR remnantsr assess Application filed September 10, 1929.- Serial Kb. 391,608.

This invention relates to printing Presses, and particularly tooneof thecylinder and flat bed'type, ilngniy Patent No.- 1,587,968, dated June 8,

a The present invention also particularly relates to the teeding 'ofthe'papertrom the stack or pile on the elevator to the cylinder, andrepresents responding mechanism shown in my Patent No. 1,615,590, datedJanuary 25 1927,.(which mechanism was applied to the press in said firstnamed patent) and also represents-1m.- provernents over the mechanismshown 111 "-1 my copending application for paten Serial Ne.star-337311621 March 25, 1929. e

In the structure of saidcopendingappli employed to engage, the J,

cation, suction was topmost sheet on the pile and-initially move 2thesanie a relatively short distance onto-thesheet to.

tapes, whlch y then conveyed'the the cylinder. Suchanarrangementfnecessi tated, besides ating mechanism, the tapes and drivng and a relatively compli: cated mechanism to properly aline the paperwhen on the tapes and to hold the same from further movement until thecylinder had moved to a certainidefinite position to receive g thepaper, as shown The principal object of the present invention is toprovide a full, automatic feed structure, and one which avoids theneedof the 55 tape-feed and cooperating mechanisms by V v the mounting ofthe movable end ot the nozfeed devicefor the arranging a suction 7sheet? s taken sheets so that each individual tied the delivery of thepaper to the cylinde is more easily. and accurately timed, and

tie chance of tie paper becoming misalined 45 relative to the cylinderafter 1t has been drawn from the pile is almost entirely eliminated. i i

A further object- Orae inanimate provide what I heheve to be. anovelform 50 of elevator structure itself,i and a relatively such as "forinstance is shown such structure. and relative arrangement pr 3improvements over the corthe suction control and open ,anism trippedorreleased by the lowering of the paperv on ztable to be consequentlyraised to restore the 1 level of the pile.

in said Patent No.v

Of the level ofthe pile siqaported thereon These objects I-aocornplishby ineansof parts asgwill fully appear, by a perusalpf the followingspecification and claims. I

In the drawings similar charactersot reference'indicnte correspondingpa. in the several views; v

Fig, lris aside elevation ofthe feed and elevator control mechanism, theoperating parts or which are shown as diagrammati- 'ca1ly,connectedtothe driving mechanism of the press, In th s figure the feed nozzles are.1 Sh wn-"as posltionedwvhen 111st ready to he IOWQred' to engage asheet .on the pile.

EigyQis a similar view showing the :p'osiv tion of the feed nozzles andcorresponding parts as" said nozzles are lowered to engage asheetg Q;..J- V Fig, 3 isaside elevation, with the parts of gthe feed'structurein the same positions as rn Fig.1 1, but with. the elevatorcontrol Lniech- .75 the pile to cause the elevator Fig. 4c, isafra'gmentary enlarged cross section on the line 41-4 of Fig. 3. i

' Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the movable feed nozzle unit; I 1

Fig. 6 is a transverse section'of the same taken on the lime- 6 of Fig.1

Fig. 7'is a fragmentary s de view showing:

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view showing;

the trip rod o fthe distinguisher mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary transverse view of thedistinguishemrodsupporting device.

Fig. 11 is ,a-sectional elevationoftheelevator structure.

Referring now more particularly to. the characters of reference .on thedrawings the nuineral 1 denotes the side "frames of-the able manner isthe moving bed 2. The bed forming no part of this invention, areinclicat-ed diagrammatically only. Supported by the end bearing blocks 5mounted on the frame is the cylinder 6 which is oscillated through acertain are with the reciprocation of the bed. This arrangement and itsopera-- tion are also common to presses of this character and form nopart of this invention.

A flat sheet supporting table, supported on the frames 1, extendrearwardly from the cylinder and is substantially tangent to the up persurface of the same; said table terminating at its rear end and adjacentthe forward edge of the uppermost sheet of the pile of paper 8, which issupported on the elevator table 9 thereunder. The elevator table isdisposed at a slight upward angle relative to the table 7 toward itsrear end and has transversely spaced slide blocks 10 pivoted at one endto and under the same, and which are supported by and slide on similarlyspaced longitudinally extending bars 11 supported by the frame. Thesebars extend at a considerable upward angle toward their forward ends, orin the opposite direction to the slope of the elevator table. Theangularity of the table 9 may be altered somewhat relative to the barsand the fixed table 7 by adjustable links 12 extending verticallybetween said table 9 and the free end of the slide blocks.

The bars above the table terminate just below one below in the directionof the cylinder.

Since the elevator table as raised and moved up will at the same timemove in a long tudinal direction toward the cylinder, the combed settingof the pile is automatically maintained with any such movement of thetable. Tipping of the elevator table from a horizontal plane in thedirection of the cylinder tends to cause the sheets to slide toward thecylinder and to thus cause the combing to be maintained with morecertainty.

The table is thus raised by means of chains 14 or the like attached tothe links 12 and extending thence parallel to the bars 11 to and overpulleys 15 fixed adjacent the upper ends of said bars to the sides ofthe table, from which the chains extend horizontally and rearwardly (oraway from the cylinder) is engaged by a segmental gear to drums 16.These drums are fixed on a common shaft 17 journaled on top of theframes 1. This shaft at one end has a ratchet wheel 18 engaged by a pawl19 which is arranged to prevent rotation of said shaft in a directionsuch as would cause the chains to be unwound from the drums, and thetable to be consequently lowered. The other end. of the shaft carries agear 20 meshing with a pinion 21 fixed on a stub shaft 2 projectingthrough the frame 1 on one side of the press. A ratchet wheel 23 isfixed on said shaft outwardly of the frame and is engaged by a pawl 24mounted on a relatively radial arm 25 which is turnable on said shaftand projects horizontally therefrom. This pawl and ratchet are arrangedso that depression of the outer end of the arm causes the shaft 22 to berotated, while the chains are so disposed about the drums 16 that suchrotation of said shaft causes the chains to be wound on the drums andthe elevator table to be raised. A link 26 depends from the outer end ofthe arm 25 and is connected at its lower end to the free end of ahorizontal a-rin 27 pivoted at its opposite end on the adjacent frame 1.A tension spring 28 be tween said frame and the arm 27 tends to raisethe latter, its upward movement being limited by a stop 29 projectingfrom the frame.

Projecting laterally from the arm 2? intermediate its ends is a lug 30,adapted to he engaged by a pin 31 projecting laterally from one face ofa disc 32 (see Fig. Ii ninion 33 is fixed in connection with said dis:

and This gear is oscillated through an arc suilicien't to cause the discto be oscillated through an arc of substantially 180 with each 180rotation the crank 3, by means of suitable lini; and gearing connectionswith the shaft 4-. as indicated diagrammatically at 35 in Fig. i.

A mechanism, controlled by the level of the top of the pile, is providedto hold the. arm 27 down so that the pin 31 with the rotation of thedisc will not forcibly engage the lug 30 and depress the arm until thepaper on the pile is depleted somewhat and its level is correspondinglylowered.

This mechanism is arranged as follows:

Positioned to engage the topmostsheet of paper towards its end furthestfrom the c, der is an element preferably in the form 6.5. a roller 36which is mounted on one en of a 37 extending lengthwise of the p s andaway from the cylinder. This rod is en ported by a transverse arm 38wine pivoted intermediate its ends on a I bracket 39 fixed in connectionwith t of the press. The end of the arm 38 opposite the rod carriesspaced connterbalimcc weight 40 so arranged that the roller will bearlightly on the paper and will tend to move down as the level of thepaper is lowered, without exerting such pressure on the paper as to makeit hard to pull thetoprnost tudinally extending portion 41 of a verticalrod 41a, which at its lower end is fixed in connection with'a transversespindle 42 turnable in said frame 1. Depending from and fixed on theouter end of this spindle is another rod 43 disposed in a vertical planeintermediate the ends of the arm 27 and in a transverse plane just toone side of said arm.

The lower ,end of this rod is adapted to engage a shoulder 44 formed onandprojecting, from a block secured oniand projecting laterally from thearm 27. A weight 46 mounted in connection with the rod 48 tends to turnthe sameon its spindleand move its lower end away from the shoulder andto raise the upper horizontal member 41 against thearm 38. The members41, 41a, and 43 practically I form a single continuous unit pivotedintermediate its ends on'the frame, as will be evident. The parts abovedescribed are so arranged that if the paper is at its nor-. Tmal leveland the rod 41 is bearin g snugly against the arm 38, the lower. end ofthe rod 43 will be so disposed vertically as to be in line with theshoulder 44. I In turn this shoulder, when the arm 27 is positioned sothat the lug 30 is barely engaged by the pin 31' atthe sothat the latterwill seatonsaid shoulder arm 27 I I: The various parts' of thedistinguishing and control mechanism above described are tisomewhatflexible or yieldable,and as long as the I level of the paper rem ains'substantially the sameor normal, the horizontal member '41 cannot raise,andv consequently cannot swing rearwardly to clear the shoulder-44. Thespring28 therefore can- *not act. to

raise the arms 27 and 25. With the lowering of the'paper on the pile,how ever, the roller 36 of coursemoves down and the Weighted end of thearm 38 is tilted up, leaving a clearance under the arm 38 for the member41 to rise,.whieh it tends to do owing to the weight 46. The pin 310ithe disc bears lightly against'the. lug 30' in an arm depres ingdirection with each oscillating cycle of the disc, and 1f the abovementioned clearance exists the lower end of the rod 43 of course swingsclear of the shoulder 44 whenever the holding pressure due to thespring2 8 is released bysaid light engagement of the lug wardly due tothe pull of the spring 28, and

the rod'43 49 andicorrespondi" -to thetable. I I .Slidably mountedon therod 49 and bar 50 is a block 59 from which a rigid bar60 fl io" n .I I Ii...- 1-. arm'60 by a rod"6l extending lengthwise or pawl 24about theratchet 28.- The extent of upward movement-of said arm 27 is of courselimited-by thestop29. 'Withthe subsequent I or return oscillation ofthedi-sdthei pin 31 engages the lug 30anddepresses said arm to' itsoriginal position.This, causes a rotation of the ratchet wheel 23 andjparts connected thereto, causing the elevator to'beinstantly raisedsufiicientto restore 7 the paper to its C "original level;

I The member 41 is therefore depressed by the lifting of theroller 36t0its original position and the rod 43 again swings toi'position over theshoulder 44, engaging the sameandpreventing asubscquent raising of: thearm 27 when the pin 3 l-m0ves away from the lug. The parts are allthenin the positions originally described'and remain thus until the paper isagain.lowered,when the cycle of operations above recited'is repeated. Ii

The pap'er fee-ding mechanism itself is constructed as follows: I y fFixed on top of tl1e" cy1inder supporting block 5, whichis on theisame"side of the'p ress. as the disc '32, is a bracket 47 on whichis pivotedasupport 48, disposed outwardly of the. plane of the adjacent frame *1;lTo this support are secured" one endof a longitndi nallyextendingrod49, a bar 50 thereunder,

andanotherbar 5loutwardly' ofsaid bar 50 I I butonsubstantially the samelevel. wThese 'end of the stroke or oscillation of thedisc 32 in onedirection, will be at such. a level as to be on a level with the bottomof the rod 43 members are all parallel to each otherand aIdja centfframeThe; corresponding end of the bar 51 isconnected to the support 52 iosbyan archedyoke 54, II o A substantiall 'vertical' link 55 is connectedat its upper endto the supportj52 and I i at its lowerendgisconnected toa horizontal 'ar1nf56 which extends adjacent and above the plan'efpf thedisc 32' and is pivoted at one 'end ontothevirame 1.1 The freeend ofthis i farm carries a roller 57 whichrides on the periphery ofthe disc.This disc is circular and concentric with its axis throughout, excepttor a depression'58 provlded at a certain pointin' its extent. and'iwhichis adapted to I receivelthe rollerQ The len'gth of thelink V '55is, such that ,when the' roller '57 is riding on the fc'ir cularportionof the (e,: the rod g parts impe s pp ing a vertical position ifdesired, as indicated in 6. Supportediro nthe outerend of the,

be parallel iig0 projects-transYfir' ely f the press overth I i-Thear-60. is pi' placed on the elevator.

to said extent is imparted to the slide by a" the press is a cross-bar62 from which a plurality of suction nozzles, spaced transversely of thepress, depend. These nozzles comprise tubular stems 63 adjustablyclamped in connection with the bar 62, and

relatively flat cups or dished heads 64 on their lower ends. The upperends of the nozzle stems are individually connected by flexible tubes 65with suitable hand valves 66. These valves are mounted on a hollowmember 67 supported by the slide 59 and disposed between said slide andthe bar 51. The member 67 is connected to a flexible hose 68 dependingtherefrom and which leads to a source of suction (not shown). The sideof the member 67 facing the bar 51 is provided with an opening 69leading to the interior of the same, and with which the various valves66 communicate. This opening is adapted to be covered by a flap 70pivoted on said member for movement in. a vertical plane.

A pin 71 projects laterally from the flap below the pivot and into thepath of longitudinally spaced stop blocks 7 2 and 73 mounted on the bar51 toward its front and rear ends respectively. The purpose of thisstructure will be seen later.

The slide 59 and the parts connected thereto are reciprocated along thesupporting bars substantially from end to end of the same or for adistance greater than the length of a sheet of paper. Also the parts ofthe press are proportioned so that such distance is from apoint wherethe nozzles are just back of the stop plate 30, as shown in Fig. 3, to apoint substantially central of the cylinder 6 as indicated in Fig. 1.Also the distance from said cylinder to the plate 13 is greater than thelength of any sheet of paper which may be Such movement and horizontallink 74 connected thereto and to the upper end of a substantiallyvertical lever 75 which depends past the disc 32 and is pivoted at itslower end below the disc on the frame 1. Intermediate its ends thislever is connected by a member 76 with a crank pin 77 on the disc.

The crank pin is so positioned on the disc relative to the depression 58that the slide 59 will be at the rear end of its travel, with thenozzles overhanging the topmost sheet of the paper, and with the lever75 consequently at the corresponding end of its arc of oscillation, justbefore the depression 58 moves under the roller 57. The disc continuesto rotate in the same direction as up to the above point before i tsmovement is reversed, just sufiicient to cause the roller to drop intothe depression but not enough to affect the lever 75.

This is because the crank pin 77 is then adjacent its dead-centerposition relative to the axis of the disc and the point of connection ofthe member 76 with the lever, and the very few degrees of movement ofthe pin past The depth of the depresplate 13 and the table 7, so thatthere is no possibility of the sheets shifting from their position onthe pile onto the table 7 of them selves.

The suction then acts through the main hose 68 and the variousindividual nozzle tubes to said nozzles, causing the sheet to besuctionally clamped against the nozzles. As soon as the roller 57 hasbeen lowered into the depression it is again and immediately raised bythe reversal of movement of the disc, and the slide 59 and nozzles areagain raised to their original level, together with the sheet of paperengaged by the nozzles. This level is such that the nozzles and ofcourse the sheet are above the level of the top of the plate 13 andtable 7, so as to permit the sheet being drawn past the plate 13 withoutany interference. As soon as the nozzles are again raised to the aboveposition the lever 75 is oscillated in the opposite di-" rection,causing the nozzle unit to travel toward the cylinder, or until thenozzles overhang the cylinder, which is the opposite dead centerposition of the crank pin 77.

Just before the nozzles arrive at said position the pin 71 of the flap 7O engages the stop 7 3, causing the flap to be turned down so that theopening 69 is exposed to the atmosphere, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The suction is then of course broken be tween the hose 68 and the nozzletubes, and the sheet of paper dropsfrom said nozzles and rests on thetable in overhanging relation to the cylinder. The sheet is then grip-4ped by and rotated with the cylinder by the f mechanism shown in myco-pencling application for patent, Serial No. 393,404 filed September18, 1929. Upon the return stroke of the nozzle supporting slide the flapremains open until the pin 71 engages the forward stop 72 and is turnedto a closed position, so that the suction again acts through the nozzlesto engage the neXt sheet of paper.

To prevent the possibility of more than one sheet being taken up by thenozzles an air pressure pipe 78 is mounted just ahead of the plate 13,having a side opening which registers with a corresponding opening inthe plate, as shown in Fig. 11. The air is therefore constantly blownbetween the sheets at the adjacent end, tending to keep the sameseparated. The elevator control mechanism is operated in conjunctionwith the nozzle operating mechanism in such relation that was nozzlesreach the rear end of their stroke and ing to the width of are inposition to engage a sheet.

The use of a plurality of nozzles,laterally adjustable on the press,enable sheets of varying widths to be engaged adjacent their corners, asWell as at intermediate points, simultaneously. This avoids thepossibility of the sheet sagging at its corners and interfering withitsfree passage over the plate 13 and onto the table 7. The use ofindividual valves for the different nozzles enables any of them to becutout if desired or necessary, accordpaper being printed, so that onlythose actually needed will be in operation, and suctional pressure isconserved. From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that Ihave produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein. 7 7

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of'the device, still in practice such deviations fromspaced such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure fromthe spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: v 1. A paper feeding mechanismfora punting press having a supporting means for a,

pile of paper and a cylinderhorizontally spaced from the pile, includinga suction nozzle to engage the topmost sheet on the pile, a suctionpassage member connected with the nozzle and movable therewith, meansfor reciprocating the member and nozzle horizontally distancesufticientto cause the edge of the sheet nearest the cylinder to bemoved into overhanging relation to the latter, and means actuatedautomatically by and with the movement of the member to open saidpassage to the atmosphere as the sheet arrives at the cylinder.

ing press having a supporting means for a pile of paper and a cylinderhorizontally from the pile, including a suction nozzle to overhangandengage the topmost sheet of the pile, supporting means for the nozzle,including a slide block, zontal bar extending lengthwise of the pressand pivoted thereon atits end nearest the cylinder, said block beingslidable along the bar, means for reciprocating the block and nozzle adistance suflicient to cause the sheet to be moved from the pile to aposition over hanging the cylinder, and means connected to the bar andfunctioning'in conjunction with the nozzle reciprocating means to causethe bar, only when the nozzle is overhanging the pile, to be depressedsufficient to cause the nozzle to be lowered into contact with thetopmost sheet of the pile, andto be raised 2. A paper feeding mechanismfor a print- V a substantially hori- I ing along? the bar.

'B A-f paper r'eeding mechanism ert e Pr nti Pr s having Mummies m ns.

'ror ile of paper and a cyl nd rh rizontaltable extending from the pileto thecylinder and held innnovablewhile ,the-nozzle is movi i 7 7 l ispacedrfrom the; pile, including a fixed and being disposednonalevelhigher than i der, said block being slidable along the bar,

a lever pivoted on the press, a connection between the] lever and theblock to cause the latter to be reciprocated along the block with theoscillation of the lever, a disc, means for oscillating the disc througha certain arC,a 1 driving connection between the disc and lever tooscillate the latter through an are snflicient to cause the nozzle totravel from a position overhanging the pile to one adjacentthe cylinderand vice versa,

with the oscillation of the disc through said are, a roller riding onthe riphery ofthe disc, ahorizontal armpivoted on the press and on thefree endof which said roller is'mounted, and a vertical link dependingfrom'the bar to the armjthe periphery of the discbeing concentric withits axis except for a depression positioned to, receive the rollertherein when the disc is'atz one end of its arm of oscillation and thenozzle lengthwise of the bar, to be maintained'parallel to the table andso that the nozzle is clear is overhanging the pile; the-disc, arm and"link being arrangedto cause the bar, when of the same, and tofcause saidbar,when the"i roller is riding in the disc-depression, to be depressedat its free end suflicient to lower the nozzle into engagement with thetopmost sheet of the'pile.

4. A paper feeding mechanism for a print- 7 ing press having asupporting means for a pile of paper anda cylinder horizontally spacedfrom the pile, including a suction nozzle to engage the topmost sheet onthe pile,

a support for the nozzle including a slide block, a-substantiallyhorizontalbar mounted lengthwise on the press and on'which the block isslidable, means for reciprocating the block along the bar a distancesufficient to cause the nozzle to be moved from over the pile to apredetermined position adjacent the ;cyl1nder, suction passage means tothe nozzle including a hollow member rigid with the bloclr and having alateral opening to communlcate wlth the atmosphere, a pivoted flap 'tocover said opening, and means acting on said flap with the movementofthe block along the bar to cause theflap-to be moved pun a ll to uncoversaid opening just as the nozzle reaches its position nearest thecylinder, and to be moved to cover the opening just as the nozzlereaches the opposite end of its stroke and is in overhanging relation tothe pile.

5. A structure as in claim 4, in which said last named means comprises abar fixed With and parallel to said first named bar, the flap facing oneside of said bar, a pin projecting from the flap in offset relation tothe pivot thereof and longitudinally spaced blocks on said second bar toengage the pin and cause the flap to turn on its pivot in oppositedirections respectively as the slide block reaches its limits of travelalong the supporting bar. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES L. LOWV.

